PPP starts revival efforts for ‘Saraiki Punjab’
LAHORE: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has strong faith in its present leader Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and is all set to reactivate in Punjab through a rally in Multan on Friday.
PPP South Punjab Information Secretary Shaukat Basra said the party would hold a historic rally in Multan and it will be the start of a movement against the government. “The people will come out under the leadership of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and end the era of Sharifs in Punjab. It will be a start of the revolution against the killers of Model Town and blasphemers.”
He said the parties active in South Punjab for a separate province are also supporting the anti-government rally since the people of South Punjab have been tired of ‘Takht-e-Raiwind.’ He said the Sharif brothers have done nothing for the people of South Punjab and they are deprived of their basic amenities of life.
Basra said former premier Yousaf Gilani and his sons are making untiring efforts to making Bilawal Bhutto’s rally a successful event which will ultimately pave the way for the rights of people of South Punjab.
PPP District Muzaffargarh Vice-President Amir Dogar said that all the preparations have been finalized for the rally of Bilawal Bhutto in Multan. “It will be the biggest rally in the history of the PPP and people from the whole south Punjab will participate in it”.According to him, about 1,000,000 people will participate in the rally and that Bilawal Bhutto is a popular leader of South Punjab.
PPP Punjab Assembly Parliamentary Leader Qazi Ahmed Saeed said that the PPP is a federal party and does not believe in politics on the basis of language. However, he said the party fully endorses demand for separate provinces o an administrative basis for the people of South Punjab.
Saraikistan Democratic Party Secretary General Asif Khan declared that his party will support the PPP rally in Multan and that he will coin the term “Saraiki Punjab” during the procession.
“It is the only PPP which supports the people’s popular demand for a separate province. No other party does so. That’s why, we have lend support to PPP in its political activities”‘ he concluded.
Multan is the home district of Yousaf Raza Gilani and other districts which fall in the Seraiki belt include Lodhran, Khanewal, Sahiwal, Pakpattan, Vehari, D.G. Khan. Muzaffargarh, Layyah and Bahawalpur. The Seraiki belt is home to some 52 National Assembly constituencies and people of the region have long demanded a separate province. Only PPP supports people’s demand for separate province while PML-N opposes the move. The PPP enjoyed strong electoral strength in South Punjab and Muzaffragrah district was called mini-Larkana since five out of six MNAs belong to the PPP in the tenure of Gilani.